Automated kiosks or automated vending machines are becoming popular for selling various kinds of merchandise from packaged large products to small products, such as digital media, mobile electronics, personal accessories and others. Conventional general purpose automated kiosks, however, are not suitable to deliver thin, small or delicate items. The kinds of automated kiosks specialized to sell or rent digital media in particular are not able to dispense items quickly or securely. Problems with known systems become readily apparent with thin products, small products, delicate products (such as stamps or cell phones), and non-conventional products such as medical marijuana.